Sims Dead Cell Candle - Runs on a “Dead” D Cell Battery for Over a Month

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Article (updated often): https://www.instructables.com/Sims-Dead-Cell-Candle-Runs-on-Dead-D-Cell-Batterie/

The short video (1 minute): https://youtu.be/xcomnUn3S2k 

The long video: https://youtu.be/vwduc_eyb-s

Sims Dead Cell Candle. You can’t buy these but you can make them

How would you like to have a LED light that runs continuously on a free “dead” battery for over two months? You may ask, where can I get free “dead” batteries. I get my not actually dead D cell batteries from the touchless paper towel dispensers at work when they will no longer operate the motor in the dispenser. The motor in a paper towel machine runs on about 500 milliamps (half an amp). The “dead” batteries will easily run circuits using 5 – 20 milliamps for great lengths of time.

You can easily make your own in about 10 or 15 minutes.

Making a prototype Sims Dead Cell Candle:

For this project, you will need a “dead” or new D cell battery, a solar lawn light ($0.98 for the one in the picture), and a D cell battery holder. You will also need: soldering iron, solder, hot glue gun, needle nose pliers.

The clear round window twists off. The black enclosure is held together with two screws. Remove the screws. The battery contacts can be removed by pulling with needle nose pliers. Cut the wires that are attached to the back of the solar cell.

Add glue to the wires on the circuit board. This acts as a strain relief to keep the wires attached to the board.

If the wires are long enough you can connect the circuit directly to the battery for testing.

Solder the circuit to the battery holder. The black wires connect together (negative to negative). The white and red wires connect together. Your colors may vary depending on the solar lawn light you use.

You are done.

This light is useful during power outages. Where I live, we have them once or twice a year. I always have at least two of these going all the time. Why not. I get more free batteries than I can use and the cost of a switch would more than double the cost of the light. As soon as the power goes out, one of these goes in the bathroom.

Uses:

Besides just being a versatile, portable, long run time light, your Sims Dead Cell Candle can be used for:

Camping and backpacking

Night light

Light for aquarium, terrarium, or Diorama.

Spare light in the car, garage, office, basement, attic, closet, go bag.

Point of sale illumination / attention getter.

Lighting for doll house or other toys.

Any place you need a solar lawn light worth of light for a few months.

The homeless situation seems to have worsened significantly in the last 3 years and 6 weeks. Perhaps the best solution to this problem will be fixed in the voting booth. In the meantime, these lights are needed by those on the street. If you receive one that has a sticker on it that looks like this, you probably received it from me or someone I know.

A little bit more about touchless paper towel dispensers.

There are over 20 million touchless paper towel machines in the world cranking out dead batteries. Make sure you get your fair share of those batteries.

A little bit of light is better than a whole lot of darkness.

The video: https://youtu.be/vwduc_eyb-s